Chapter Eighteen

Dumar blinked as the old man's voice deepened for him to add. "There is a positivity one feels when using Necromancy. It rejuvenates and heals the body while imbuing one with feelings of euphoria."

"So, he's addicted then?" Dumar assumed after a pause. "To using this power you claim to have?"

Grethron looked surprised, as if he had never considered the possibility before and nodded slowly.

"Yes, that is it exactly. Addicted," the old Necromancer said in wonder.

After a few moments silence Dumar asked his next question.

"And you?"

"Me? What?"

Dumar gave the old man an exasperated look.

"Are you addicted as well?"

"Dawa, no!" The old man squeaked, aghast at his suggestion.

Dumar raised his head in acknowledgement as silence fell between them.

M'thar broke the awkward silence that followed, approaching on silent feet. Dumar studied the creature's movements as he came closer, noting the shift and bunch of his muscle groups, located in entirely different places to any human.

The fluid way in which he moved spoke of athleticism and hinted at the physical speed of which M'thar was probably capable.

The large creature closed with the pair and stood quietly as Grethron and Dumar studied each other. Eventually Grethron lowered his eyes and turned to M'thar who regarded his father with his usual blank expression.

"A fair question, I suppose," the old Necromancer sighed. "I am going to find Sherilee and see how she is faring with our new singer," without another glance towards Dumar, Grethron stomped away in the direction from which they had first come.

"My father appears upset," the lizard like creature observed. Turning to Dumar he added. "Problems?"

"I can't see why, I just asked if he was as addicted to this power he reckons he's got as this brother of his."

M'thar raised his head and growled deeply in his throat making Dumar wonder if he was going to attack him. The large creature, however, lowered his gaze to meet Dumar's own and motioned for him to follow as he strode off along the flagstone pathway.

"So, what's the deal then?" Dumar asked. "And give me the concise version, without all the pretty stories."

M'thar took a deep breath and swiped his tongue across each eye in turn, an action Dumar was still wholly uncomfortable with.

"My father and his brother share the same power. Necromancy. In effect, this means when a person dies either one can store or utilise the energy given off when the soul leaves the body," M'thar glanced at Dumar to see if he were following the conversation, Dumar nodded.

"Yeah, I got that bit."

"The difference between them is simple yet profound," the Pat'nathoor continued. "Malthrom will butcher people in their thousands to gain his power while my father will not."

"Yeah, I got that bit, too," Dumar explained. "But surely it's a good thing? For your old man, I mean," he added.

M'thar considered this as the pair emerged from the shadow of the house and came to a large grassed area enclosed by stone walls. Whether due to the wind changing direction or some combination of the flowers and plants giving of their perfumed scents, Dumar only now became aware of a new and more unpleasant smell.

His hand dropped unconsciously to the semi-automatic he had managed to strap to himself as the scent of blood assaulted his nostrils faintly. M'thar glanced over at the sudden movement, looked Dumar in the eye and raised his head to sample the air.

"You have an excellent sense of smell," he complemented as he caught the scent himself. "There is no danger here, however," M'thar glanced to where the big man's hand rested upon the ergonomically designed hand grip of the pistol. "Even if there was, I doubt that small club would be of much use," he walked off towards the source of the blood, a set of what appeared to be open rooms with doors closing the lower halves of each one.

Dumar wondered over the words M'thar had spoken. He thought the machine pistol to be some kind of blunt weapon and an ineffective one at that. The big man caught up with M'thar as he arrived at the first doorway.

"What about Grethron and his brother?" Even as he asked the question, Dumar realised he was being caught up in the story of this place.

Even if he were undecided if this was all real or some concoction of his damaged brain, he also wanted to know the history of these people. And creatures. M'thar turned.

"Malthrom raised an army. Most of the warriors were simple people who he had managed to control in some fashion, farmers and peasants for the most part. Any age, any race and any sex, it mattered not who he enslaved.

"My father advised against a battle or war, knowing Malthrom would only grow in power from the resultant deaths. He advocated moving as many people as possible into the mountains above Lorneria in an attempt to outrun the invaders.

"The king and queen dismissed the idea and sent their own armies out to deal with the threat," M'thar folded his arms and flicked his tongue across his eyes.

"Even though the armies sent by the kingdom were highly trained, that training did not include the possibility their enemy would be thrown against them with no care for their own lives.

"As Malthrom had enthralled his army, through the use of vile creatures he got from some Hellish place, he was able to force them to attack relentlessly with no regard for their own defence.

"Malthrom had no problem slaughtering men, women and children in their thousands, as each life ended provided him with ever more energy. The carnage was horrific, I have heard, with thousands of dead and the ground red with blood.

"To this day the grass grows greener there than in the surrounding areas, fed with the blood of dead men.

"As the last few kingdom soldiers met and defeated their opponents, Malthrom himself entered the field and ordered Grethron to present himself. The king forbade it knowing Malthrom's intent.

"Malthrom waited only an hour before he unleashed a devastating beast from some Hellish dimension, using some of his seemingly unlimited power. The few soldiers that remained, soiled with the blood of the innocent and half mad already, rallied bravely behind the king and attacked the monster," M'thar's voice quieted to a whisper as he finished. "They were slain to a man and the king was eaten alive before the remnants of his population.

"These events took place before my father hatched me," M'thar stated blankly.

Hatched! Dumar thought, shocked.

"Grethron the Necromancer took to the field, striding towards his brother through the gore and blood saturating covered the earth," Dumar realised M'thar was reciting an account of the events which had happened word for word. "Seemingly ignorant of the vast form we have now termed the Dal, who remained engaged in consumption of the slain, Grethron the Necromancer approached his brother and they faced one another for a short moment.

"According to those present, both brothers raised their hands simultaneously and were thrown apart backwards by whatever vast power they utilised against each other. Malthrom had what appeared to be white light penetrating his head, from some unknown source and was convulsing upon the floor.

"Grethron appeared unaffected by such a display yet lay among the bodies of the fallen as if one of them. Not one person was allowed to approach either Necromancer by royal decree and the city was sealed," M'thar finished.

Dumar was surprised to find he had been holding his breath and exhaled slowly.

The lizard like creature unfolded his arms and shrugged in an oddly human way.

"The body of Malthrom disappeared as did the Dal. People speculated the beast ate his body, sensing the power within it, my father was left untouched, however. No more could be found regarding my father's brother, the king, it was as if he had completely disappeared.

"My father left the field and went into hiding for a number of years although he admits he allowed certain interested parties to know his whereabouts as long as they remained distant from him," M'thar turned and started along the row of stalls which were now revealed to be empty stables.

"Was that concise enough for you?" He called over his shoulder.